Saint Paul – In an effort to settle a dispute concerning the right of licensed family child care providers to organize to have a union represent them in their dealings with the State of Minnesota, Governor Dayton today issued Executive Order 11-31, which calls for an election among licensed, registered, subsidized, family child care providers. This election will be conducted by the Bureau of Mediation Services, and it will give all affected providers the chance to vote by mail ballot.

If a majority of licensed, registered, subsidized, family child care providers vote in favor of union representation, the selected union will meet and confer with the Commissioners of Human Services and Education on issues that affect child care providers in Minnesota. Membership in the union, if approved by a majority of providers, will be voluntary.

About the election, Governor Dayton said, “There are two sides to this issue: some child care providers are in favor of joining a union, and some are opposed. The fairest way, and the American way, to settle this dispute is to have an election, where all the people directly affected will have an opportunity to vote.”